Infatuated Infected
by AestheticAcoustic
Summary: Douglas and Kaden are separated when the infection hits. Kaden becomes a Smoker and is devastated by the loss of his boyfriend, Douglas. Will the two meet again in this new world? Gaahh, I HATE summaries! SmokerxHunter. Don't like it, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fanfic for Left 4 Dead XD Hope you like it!

**Warning:** Zombie lovin'. I shouldn't need to say more.

Left 4 Dead belongs to Valve!

* * *

Curled up on the couch with a pillow pulled tightly to his chest, Douglas watched the news nervously. The sickness that had been slowly taking over the city was now running rampant. Very few people went out anymore. Those who did usually got sick within the hour.

Douglas tugged lightly at his medium-length charcoal-colored hair, twirling a strand around his finger. His light blue eyes stared at nothing, mind having wandered off.

Kaden had gone out hours earlier to "hang with the guys" which Douglas knew meant "cheat on you with someone who's going to do those freaky things in the bed that you won't do." Kaden had never actually said that, of course, and he had never actually admitted to cheating, but Douglas knew. He'd known since the first time Kaden had come stumbling home with suspicious "bruises" on his neck and smelled of strange cologne.

Why was he so in love with someone so cruel? Was it the short, dusty brown hair that often smelled of coconuts? Those honey-colored eyes that could look so lovingly at him at times? That wonderful smile that Douglas liked to believe was reserved only for him? That tall, muscular, yet gentle stature that was always so protective?

Douglas sighed and pulled the pillow tighter to his chest. A clicking from the door lock alerted him to possible company. Was it Kaden or a sick person?

He was relieved when his boyfriend walked through the opening seconds later. Kaden coughed twice before snuffing out his half-burnt cigarette in an ashtray on the end table. Douglas didn't allow him to smoke in the house.

"Hey babe." Kaden said simply as he took a seat next to the younger and smaller man, placing an arm across his shoulders.

"I was worried sick about you!" Douglas scolded, leaning against his boyfriend. He could easily pick up the scent of smoke and a few different cheap colognes. It hurt knowing that Kaden had gone out to mess around with someone else, but he was glad he was home. "You didn't run into any sick people, did you?"

"'Course not. You know I'm not that stupid."

"I know... But I think we should stay inside until this blows over. It seems to be getting very bad."

"Yeah maybe." Kaden grabbed the remote and began flipping channels. Douglas frowned. He nuzzled Kaden's neck and rubbed his upper leg, "Pleeeeaaase stay home with me tomorrow?" He purred seductively. Kaden grinned and stroked Douglas' cheek, "Well, maybe I could be persuaded..."

Douglas chuckled, "I may have one or two persuasive tactics up my sleeve..." He kissed Kaden before standing and heading into the bedroom. Kaden smirked and followed.

* * *

Douglas was disappointed the next morning when he woke up to an empty bed. He got up and put on boxers and a tank-top before doing a quick scan of the apartment. Kaden was gone.

He sadly wandered into the bathroom of their quaint little apartment and looked himself over in the mirror. Did he seem paler than usual? He shrugged it off and washed his face and brushed his teeth.

He shivered as he left the bathroom and rubbed his arms, finding that they were covered in goosebumps. The thermostat read 72, but it felt more like 60, so he turned up to 80 and went to sit on the couch.

* * *

Kaden knew he was going to be in deep shit when he returned home, but he had something that needed to be tended to. Seeing as the spread of the virus was getting worse and people were dying left and right, he wanted to stay with Douglas, and only Douglas, as much as possible. He needed to break things up with Tynan and he couldn't do it via phone for fear of his real boyfriend finding out about his side fuck.

Tynan was a real catch, with his black hair and smoky eyes, but Kaden wasn't connected to him like he was to Douglas, amazing sex or no. So he had to end it with Tynan.

Kaden's cell phone rang in his pocket. He knew from the ringtone that it was Douglas. He didn't answer it. It went to voice mail and he turned it off.

He was right around the corner from Tynan's house. All he needed to do was break up with him, then he could go home and stay there with the man he believed he was falling in love with.

He coughed twice.

* * *

Douglas frowned when Kaden's voice mail picked up. Had Kaden left him to go screw around? Douglas was angry and hurt, but kept his cool as he left a message, "Kaden? Are you coming home soon? I think the thermostat is broken or something. It says it's 80 in here, but I'm freezing! Maybe you could a look at it? Hurry home, okay? Bye." He hung up after that.

He'd grabbed his dark blue hoodie from his room along with a pair of dark pants and put them on. They didn't help and he didn't have anything warmer in the apartment, so he'd got a brilliant idea to use duct tape and wrap it around sections of his arms and legs to prevent heat from escaping.

It wasn't helping. He was just as cold as when he was in his boxers.

He coughed a few times and shuddered. _'Great,' _He thought bitterly, _'Now I'm getting a cold.'_ He unfolded a blanket that was on the end of the couch and wrapped it around himself.

The TV wasn't on. He'd tried earlier to watch the news, but a message about technical problems was displayed. He'd tried other channels, but they were either static or the same message.

He was scared.

He pulled out his cell to try Kaden again when there was a knock at the door. Excited, he jumped up and ran to open it. "You're ho-!" He cut himself short when he realized that the man at the door wasn't Kaden, but instead seemed to be sick. The man let out a strange growling noise and displayed a mouthful of disgusting and rotting teeth. Douglas yelled and ran. It took a few seconds for the man to comprehend this and follow.

Douglas rounded a corner and locked himself in the bathroom. Keeping the lights off and staying as quiet as possible, he climbed into the bathtub and shut the sliding door. He dialed Kaden's number again and felt his heart drop when it went straight to voice mail. He shakily whispered, "Kaden? Someone got into the apartment. He's sick. I've locked myself in the bathroom and I don't think he's figured it out yet. I'm scared. Please be careful when you come home. Bye." He hung up and sat the cell phone next to him.

He pulled his hood over his head and waited.

* * *

The door was wide open when Kaden entered. "Tynan?" He called into the dark and seemingly empty house. He heard a low groan coming from the bedroom and headed toward it.

A large pile of blankets was in the middle of the bed. "Tynan?" Kaden tried again. The pile moved slightly and groaned again. Kaden went to the bed and moved some of them enough to find a gray hand. It twitched and curled. "Doooon't." Someone groaned from underneath. "Tynan?"

"I'm so cold Kaden... And my skin... I don't want you to see... I think I'm sick... I'm sorry..." Came a muffled reply in Tynan's voice. Kaden his lip, panic stricken. What if he'd gotten it from Tynan? He could have given it to Douglas. "How long?"

"I don't know, but-" His sentence was cut short by a long and low growl. The hand curled and tore the sheets. "Shit." Kaden cursed as the growls got louder and higher-pitched. He ran from the room and shut the door, placing a chair in front to hopefully keep the sick man inside.

He stumbled out the front door and into the street. The familiar sound of distant sirens and smell of decay assaulted his senses. He coughed violently and doubled over from a sudden pain in his stomach.

He knew what was happening.

* * *

Douglas gritted his teeth in pain as electric shock waves ran up his back and into his hands. "Makeitstopmakeitstopmakitstop!" He chanted until his teeth began to hurt and seemed to be changing so that they no longer fit together properly. He gasped as he felt his stomach twist.

He shakily picked up the phone and dialed Kaden. As expected, it went straight to voice mail. He fought to keep his voice even, "H-hey, listen. I-I can hear several sick people outside and... I think I'm sick too. If you get this and you're still okay... Don't come home. There's nothing left for you here." He gasped at a sudden sharp pain in his back and swallowed roughly before continuing, "I know that you were cheating on me. I've known the whole time, and it's okay. I forgive you... I love you. Goodbye." He hung up and dropped the phone.

They had never exchanged I love you's before, both believing that such strong words were not meant to be thrown around, but Douglas felt that he was indeed in love. He wished he could have told Kaden under different circumstances, or at least knew whether or not Kaden would get the message.

He felt his insides twisting and changing and doubled over from the incredible pain.

This was the end, and he knew it.

* * *

Kaden stumbled into a nearby alleyway. Several large bumps had come up on one side of his face, his shoulder and his arms. He coughed often and smoke came out when he did. His tongue seemed to be getting longer every second. He leaned against a brick building and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He turned it on, planning on calling Douglas back and telling him goodbye before his mind left him. Once it started up he saw that he had three messages from his boyfriend. Ignoring them, he dialed the familiar number.

It rang six times before voice mail picked up. Kaden growled in frustration and hung up. He decided to listen to the messages while he stumbled toward home.

The first message left him worried. Tynan had talked about being cold and it had been warm in the house.

The second message made him quicken his pace. His tongue was much longer now. He could feel it going down the back of his throat and rolling up where his stomach should have been. his skin was gray and more and larger bumps had appeared. Smoke seemed to seep out of some of them. He coughed often. He noticed that other infected seemed to pay him little mind, instead focusing on those who were healthy.

"Pleasepleaseplease be okay." He panted as he ran.

The third message made him stop and fall to his knees. He sobbed between coughs and threw the phone in anger. Why hadn't he stayed home? Why didn't he do as Douglas had asked him? He hated himself for cheating, leaving and not picking up the phone the first time.

He forced himself to stand and continue. He felt very hungry and found himself wanting to grab at the healthy people running by, but ignored it. He was two blocks from their apartment and he had to get there, no matter what.

As he stumbled along he was rarely bothered. Sometimes infected would bump into him on accident, but he was never attacked. He could feel his body continue to change and knew that soon enough he'd be just as dumb as the rest of them. Still, he continued toward his destination.

At one point, a healthy person stumbled out in front of him and pointed a gun at his face. This angered him. How dare this person try to stop him? Why did she deserve to live when Douglas had not?

His tongue seemed to move of its own accord as it wrapped around her arms lightening fast and threw her violently against a building. She let out a surprised yelp before making contact and falling to the ground. She was bleeding and unconscious when he left her.

The doors into the apartment building were busted down. He entered with no resistance and headed toward the stairs. His hands had gotten longer, making it somewhat awkward to grip the hand rail.

As he walked out into the sixth floor hallway, he realized that his heart should have been beating rapidly. Instead, he had no heartbeat. He coughed four times, smoke coming out in puffs each time, and continued down the hallway.

The door to their apartment was wide open. As he entered, he noticed several infected just standing around. He shut and locked the door behind him.

He headed for the bathroom first. His insides twisted when he saw that door had been busted through. Wood on the carpet meant that whatever was inside the bathroom had busted out. He opened the door and stepped inside, finding it empty.

He checked each room and looked at each infected. Douglas was nowhere to be found.

He let out a pain-filled shriek that he knew was inhuman. He grabbed the infected that were wondering around inside their apartment and killed each of them. Six in total. Two men, three women, and a child. He found that he didn't really care. In fact, it made him feel a little bit better. He could pretend it was their fault, not his. He could pretend that he had never met Tynan, had never had sex with him, and had never transmitted the disease to Douglas.

But he knew the truth.

He trashed the apartment in a fit of rage and stormed out, eager to find more undeserving survivors to kill.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2!

**Warning:** Zombie lovin'. I shouldn't need to say more.

Left 4 Dead belongs to Valve!

* * *

Weeks passed and the number of survivors dwindled. Kaden wandered the city, killing whenever he was bored and rarely actually eating them. He was only slightly glad to have kept most of his conscience, unlike the other infected. The upside was that he was smarter than the others, the downside being he thought about Douglas often. It hurt to think about the love he'd lost. He didn't like pain, it made him angry, so he often took out his anger on others. Men, women, children, he didn't care.

He often ran into others like him. Not smart, but special. There were the normal infected and the special infected, like him. He'd seen a skinny woman who spat acid, a very fat man who spewed bile everywhere, a strange little creature who liked to jump on his victims heads, a man with one large arm that seemed to enjoy running into things, a muscular beast with a bad attitude, and a lady who cried all the time.

None of them were like him though. They were all smart in their own right, but not like him.

He'd also mutated further in more recent weeks. More "tongues" or whatever the hell they were, had sprouted from his shoulder and neck. He now had four, counting the one in his mouth. They weren't particularly aesthetically pleasing, but came in handy in a bind.

He wandered to the edge of the roof he was currently on. He spent most of his time on rooftops. It was easy to snatch prey with his tongues from above. He looked over the end at a small group of survivors that had been doing well so far. He liked to follow his prey for awhile. It made him feel mightier to kill someone that others could not.

He wasn't the only one hunting, however.

Earlier, he'd seen another special infected on all fours, jumping across rooftops and ducking behind objects, following the same group of survivors silently. He'd only glimpsed him a few times.

Down below, a horde rushed into the alley that the three were walking through. They panicked and began shooting. Kaden watched in dull amusement as the other special infected climbed onto a stack of crates and crouched, waiting for an opportunity.

He didn't wait long.

The special infected let out a loud screech and pounced. One of the survivors yelled, "Hunter!" before she was knocked onto her back, the beast ripping violently at her torso. Another survivor turned and shot at the beast, clipping his shoulder, but he didn't seem to notice.

Normally the Smoker wouldn't have cared what happened to one of his kind, but he wanted to see what the Hunter was going to do after his victim was dead. He liked to observe and learn about the others like him. He quickly wrapped the shooter with his tongue and yanked him up, easily killing him seconds later.

The third survivor was quickly overtaken by the horde.

Aside from a few coughs, Kaden watched silently as the Hunter ripped and tore the woman apart until she was basically just a pile of mush. He finally stopped. Rather than eat anything, he stealthily took off into the shadows.

"Well, that was interesting." Kaden muttered. He coughed a few times before walking away from the gruesome scene.

* * *

Kaden was quickly growing irritated. That stupid Hunter had stolen his last four kills and it was _really_ pissing him off.

"Sorry bastard." He growled when he noticed the Hunter once again following the same group of survivors as him. The group of four disappeared into a building. Kaden waited until he saw the Hunter attempt to sneak in after them. He quickly wrapped his tongue around the Hunter's torso, pinning his arms, and yanked him up.

The Hunter shrieked when his feet left solid ground.

The Smoker threw him against a brick wall and let him drop to the ground. He was a little shocked when the Hunter landed on his feet, seemingly unfazed, and lunged at him. His tongue caught the beast midair, just before he was tackled, and the Hunter's jaws snapped shut inches infront of his face.

Kaden repeatedly slammed him into the brick wall. Each time his body hit it, the Hunter yelped in pain.

Finally, he dropped him.

The Hunter landed roughly on his back and didn't move. He was panting harshly and barely growled when Kaden walked up and stood over him, a smirk in his face, "Looks like the Hunter has become the hunted."

The Hunter growled weakly, but didn't move. A tongue from Kaden's shoulder wrapped around the fallen special infected and lifted him so that the two were eye level. Kaden was met with a low growl and a light struggle, but nothing more. "Shall we see what you're hiding?" He asked smugly as the tongue from the back of his neck slithered forth, the tip poking under a dark blue hood. The Hunter snarled and snapped in protest. Kaden ignored him, coughing, and flicked the hood away.

The once clean and neat charcoal colored hair was now a mess and caked with dried blood and dirt. The once brilliant blue eyes full of life were now dead and a fogged over blue-gray color. The once straight, white teeth were now crooked, sharp and discolored. The beautiful skin he'd fallen in love with was a sickening gray.

"D-Douglas?" Kaden asked in shock, unbelieving of the sight before him. Douglas snarled and shrieked, attempting again to bite Kaden, but failing, teeth snapping shut several inches from his face.

"Douglas, it's me, Kaden, remember?" The brunette attempted, but the other didn't seem to understand, only glared. Kaden reached up and cupped his love's face in his hands. This only succeeded in pissing the other off, however. The Hunter shrieked and snapped and began struggling again to free himself.

"Douglas..." Kaden whispered, eyes falling half shut and teeth clenching in despair. He pulled Douglas a little closer, but not close enough to bite him, and lightly kissed his forehead. The Hunter let out a loud screech.

"I'm so sorry, Douglas..." The Smoker breathed against the Hunter's hair. A low growl was his only reply.

* * *

Now that the city was mostly composed of infected, there was no need to 'shop', only 'take' since there was really no sense in paying. Kaden preferred to keep himself clean, rather than let the dirt, grime and blood build up all over him, so he regularly got himself new, clean clothing, as opposed to washing his old stuff.

He found himself entering the mall for the second time that week and heading for a department store where he remembered buying Douglas that dark blue hoodie he had loved so much. Now, however, Douglas fussed behind him as he was forcefully led around. The Smoker ignored these protests.

"Don't worry Douglas," He spoke in a friendly tone, as if the Hunter didn't hate his guts and they were there for fun, "We'll get you cleaned up and you'll feel much better after that." He coughed roughly.

Inside the store he grabbed several more hoodie's in Douglas' size. A few were dark blue like the one he was wearing, but he also picked up some deep purple ones, black ones, and a couple dark green. He moved onto the pants section and picked up several different kinds of pants. He also grabbed two pairs of shoes, some socks, and plenty of underwear.

Kaden found a small joy in the fact that he basically had six hands instead of two. While his real arms picked things up and sifted through them, his tongues held everything he wanted to keep. The one coming out of the back of his neck kept the Hunter wrapped up at a safe distance.

He would have liked to keep Douglas' hood down so he could see him, but he was calmer when it was covering his face. He still tried to get away or pull against the Smoker as they walked, but at least he wasn't making as much noise.

After their fun little 'shopping' spree, Kaden headed home to the apartment he and Douglas once shared and would be sharing again. Granted, it hurt to be somewhere he'd spent so much time with Douglas, but he couldn't bring himself to leave it behind. That would be like leaving Douglas himself behind, and Kaden just couldn't do that. So, a few days after trashing it and running off, he came back, cleaned up and stayed.

He smiled as he entered the simple adobe and dropped the clothing off in the bedroom. He picked up a picture on the desk and showed it his previous-lover. "See? This was us. We were lovers. You were always so nice to me, even though I was a total ass at times." Kaden grinned sheepishly. The Hunter was silent, a frown plastered on his face, obviously not caring about what the other had to say.

The older infected sighed and sat the picture down. "Well, let's get you cleaned up." He said as he headed for the bathroom, a clean set of clothes in his hand.

Getting Douglas undressed proved to be difficult. For one, he had to keep him restrained at all times otherwise one of them was going to be hurt or killed. Second, if life had captions, "DO. NOT. WANT." would make an appearance as the Hunter threw the biggest fit yet when Kaden began removing clothing. He screeched and shrieked, kicked and struggled, attempting in vain to escape.

Once the clothing was finally gone, Kaden looked over the now unfamiliar body. Though it was basically the same, small bumps were scattered about on his arms and legs and his skin was so white in places that it looked almost transparent. New muscles had formed in his abdomen and legs. Kaden felt a familiar feeling stir within that he hadn't felt in some time. He ignored it and removed his own clothing as well.

Douglas calmed slightly as he sat on the floor of the shower. Kaden had to keep a close eye on him because the shower was small, forcing them into a close proximity.

When he turned the shower on, Kaden learned the hard way that Hunter's did NOT like water.

"SHIT!" He yelled when the Hunter suddenly lost his mind. He lashed out and snapped at Kaden's legs, making louder noises than before, forcing the Smoker to not only dodged powerful jaws, but cover his ears to avoid going deaf. A second tongue from his shoulder shot out and restrained Douglas further. Once he finally calmed and fell silent, Kaden removed his hands from his ears.

He turned Douglas around to face away from him and removed one of the tongues, using it instead to grab the removable shower head and move it so that the water was running down the Hunter's back, rather than on his head. He picked up the shampoo next and squirted some into his palm, placing the bottle back on the shelf. He got down on his knees and began gently massaging it into messy hair. The Hunter snarled and hissed, but did not struggle otherwise.

Kaden stayed silent as he worked his fingers through Douglas' hair lovingly. The younger infected quieted down and let him work. The Smoker noticed after some time that the other had relaxed significantly. He leaned forward enough to see that his face was at ease and his eyes were closed. This made Kaden smile.

Using the third tongue, he gently tipped Douglas' head back so that he could rinse the shampoo out. He went with it, at first, until the water made contact with his scalp. He hissed and growled at the unwelcome sensation.

"Relax," Kaden spoke softly, "It can't hurt you. I wouldn't never do anything to hurt you..."

_'Except cheat on you, give you this sickness and leave you alone, of course.'_ Kaden thought bitterly, hating himself.

Still, the other male fell silent and allowed him to finish.

* * *

The rest of the shower had gone relatively smoothly with little protest from Douglas. Getting him dried off and dressed had proven to be very easy, as the Hunter was quite excited to be clothed again.

Soon, Kaden found himself sitting on the couch, Douglas close by his side whether he wanted to be or not, and starring at nothing. He idly played with the Hunter's now soft and clean locks and was pleased that the other infected was staying quiet about it. He leaned forward and gently kissed his temple, "I never told you this, but I love you Douglas. I love you so much..."

The Hunter's blank expression didn't change.

* * *

Review?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3! Yays!

**Warning:** Zombie lovin'. I shouldn't need to say more.

Left 4 Dead belongs to Valve!

* * *

Kaden had no idea if Douglas would ever remember him or anything of his human life. The thought was painful, but he forced the pain away. Atleast he had Douglas now, right? That's what mattered. Even if his love seemed to hate his guts at the moment. He'd get over that... Probably.

It had been five days and, while he was glad that the Hunter didn't do much protesting anymore, he still didn't seem to like him.

Kaden stood from the couch and stretched before letting out several coughs. He turned to Douglas, "Are you hungry? Let's go find someone."

He smiled when the Hunter stood without provocation, even though the Smoker still kept him restrained. He also noted that Douglas understood him when he spoke, meaning he still had at least some brain function.

That was a good sign.

* * *

Though he didn't want to admit it, Kaden worried he would have to leave his home soon. Survivors were few and far between. He didn't actually need to eat, but he did enjoy it and it stopped the horrible hunger pains.

He watched dully as one survivor ran for his life through the mall. He was two floors above the man, who ran for the stairs as two normal infected chased after him, and found his attempt to flee rather amusing.

The Hunter whined beside him, shifting around as though itching to be free. Kaden looked at him questioningly. Douglas met his gaze and whimpered. The Smoker knew what he wanted, "If I let you go, will you come back to me?"

Douglas was silent.

Kaden sighed a defeated sigh. "It's wrong of me to keep you against your will, isn't it?" He questioned. Douglas whined and tugged at his bonds. Kaden watched wearily for a few seconds before pulling Douglas closer and gently kissing his forehead. He stepped away and removed the tongue that kept the Hunter bound.

Free at last, the Hunter let out a loud shriek and jumped down a floor, quickly locating his prey and pouncing.

The Smoker jumped down a floor as well and took a seat against the railing a few feet from where Douglas was tearing his victim apart. He watched silently, thinking over what he wanted, what was right, what the Hunter wanted and what he was going to do.

Once the man stopped moving, Douglas sank his teeth into his skin and began feasting. He finished quickly and looked back up at Kaden.

They stared at each other for a long period, neither moving. Finally, Kaden sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back. He knew that letting the other go was really the only option and he knew the Hunter would leave.

He coughed a few times and put a hand over his eyes, as though it would block the pain.

It wasn't fair. Why was he still so human, when none of the others were? Was it some sort of divine punishment for his sins?

He barely heard the light shuffle of fabric and clicking of claws as the Hunter came closer, stopping in front of the Smoker. Kaden lifted his hand and opened his eyes to look at Douglas, who was sitting a few paces from his feet, watching him.

He got angry.

He leaned forward slightly. The Hunter leaned away, growling low in his throat.

"Shut up." Kaden snapped. Douglas fell silent, seemingly surprised. Kaden glared at him, "Why didn't you just leave like you were supposed to? You're not Douglas." He gritted his teeth. "I killed Douglas!" He yelled and stood suddenly. The Hunter fell back in shock and slight fear.

Why was the Smoker suddenly so angry? Hadn't he _wanted_ his company?

Kaden loomed above the smaller infected. He was so angry he could feel the smoke that sometimes seeped from the bulges on his shoulder increase. He clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to keep control.

He snapped when the Hunter let out a small whine. A tongue in his shoulder whipped out and grabbed a kiosk in the aisle and through it violently against the wall.

This was enough to make him feel better and calm him down. He turned away from the other infected and headed for the exit. He heard shuffling behind him and turned to see that the Hunter was attempting to follow.

"GET LOST!" He yelled. He felt bad when the Hunter shrank at his words, but turned away, coughing, and kept going.

* * *

For two days Kaden kept himself locked in the apartment, only stepping out into the hallway once in a while to smoke. He knew that was ridiculous; it shouldn't matter anymore if he smoked in the apartment or not. Hell, he was naturally smoking more than half the time anyway.

It was habit, he supposed, and he liked the feeling of normalcy it brought.

For the most part, he sat on the couch and flipped through static on the television; another comforting habit. He also liked to just stand in the kitchen sometimes. There was no real reason for it, it was just something to do. He would use the bathroom when he needed to, but only used the shower and kept the sliding door to the bathtub shut at all times. He rarely ventured into the bedroom. There were many pictures in that room; pictures he could no longer stand to look at.

Nearing the end of the third day, a violent scratching on the door got Kaden up from the couch. He grumbled in irritation, figuring it to be another common infected.

He yanked open the door violently and was immediately knocked to the floor, forcing rough coughs out of his throat. A weight on his torso alerted him to company.

Looking up, he was surprised to see a very familiar, but blood stained face. "Douglas?"

He received a grunt in reply. He looked over the younger infected and cringed, "What are you _covered_ in?" He sat up and the Hunter scooted down and looked himself over. Kaden sniffed at the fabric of the hoodie and almost puked, "Is that Boomer bile? Sick!" Douglas looked back up at him and tilted his head.

The Smoker coughed as he got up and picked the other up with one of his tongues. The Hunter made no noise as he was lifted off the ground and Kaden carefully removed his shoes and socks, throwing them out into the hallway, before putting him back down on his feet. The older infected carefully gripped the younger's arm and led him to the bathroom. "Stay." He instructed and he left to go get clean towels and rags.

When he came back, Douglas' clothes were strewn across the floor, but the dark-haired man was nowhere in sight. Kaden sighed in irritation and sat the towels down on the counter.

A strange scratching sound drew his attention to the bathtub, where the sliding door was cracked. "Douglas?" He asked cautiously as he slid it open and peered inside. Douglas was sitting on the other end, naked, messing with something. Kaden sighed and climbed in so he could reach the other infected. "Douglas, what are you doing?"

Douglas looked up and handed the small device to Kaden, who took it questioningly. It wasn't until he had it in his hand that he realized it was Douglas' cell phone.

Shaken, he sat down in the tub and examined the device. It was off, so he held down a button and was glad to see it turn on. He face fell when Douglas' wallpaper made an appearance. It was them, sitting on the fountain at the park that opened days before the infection hit. Their faces were pressed together, Douglas' having taken the picture with his cell himself. Kaden had a blank expression on his face, as he often did back then, but Douglas was smiling enough for the both of them.

It was the last picture they'd ever taken together.

The Hunter watched the Smoker silently. He had the strangest feeling that he'd been here with him before, but in a different, happier time...

He could vaguely recall being with the Smoker in other situations, before he had all those tongues and growths. It was strange, foreign almost, and somewhat comforting.

Douglas. That had been his name before.

Kailen... Kevin... Kamen... Kaden? Had that been the Smoker's name? Kaden sounded right...

Things began to clear and, while he couldn't remember everything, he could clearly see himself with the other at the park, at home, in stores and other places. The memories weren't detailed and only lasted a few seconds each, but they were there.

His most vivid memory was here, on his last day, cold and scared, trying to call Kaden, but not being able to reach him. He could remember the pain, both physical and emotional, as he took his final breath's as a human, passing out and later waking with a primal hunger.

He heard Kaden let out a soft sob and looked up. The Smoker was obviously very upset and lowered his arms where he held the phone and bowed his head. Acting on instinct more than anything, Douglas crawled across the ceramic underneath him and sat on his knees at the Smoker's feet. He put his hands on the other infected's knees and leaned forward, using his nose to tip the other's head enough so that he place a kiss on his forehead.

Kaden was quite surprised by the sudden act of tenderness from a seemingly cold creature. Still, he moved his arms and legs and was pleased when Douglas crawled in and curled against him. He wrapped his arms tightly around the smaller frame and held him close.

"I'm sorry." He spoke softly, "I'm sorry I cheated, I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry I did this to you." His voice trembled and a knot formed in his throat. Douglas sighed and kissed his neck, as though saying 'I forgive you.'

* * *

Kaden felt much better after stepping out of the shower. He dried off and wrapped a towel around his waist, then helped Douglas do the same. Once it was secure, Douglas immediately took off, heading toward the bedroom. Kaden chuckled and followed.

Upon entering the bedroom, Kaden found that Douglas had abandoned his towel and was now on all fours on the bed and was sniffing the sheets. He was also facing away, meaning Kaden got an eye full.

Before he could even think to fight it, 'Little' Kaden was standing at full attention. He cursed under his breath and tried to ignore it. As he passed the bed to get to the closet, his towel was suddenly yanked off. Surprised, he turned to find Douglas giving him an oddly seductive look, head resting on folded arms and butt in the air behind him.

A tongue slithered out from Kaden's shoulder and slowly made its way between Douglas' pale cheeks, brushing against his hole, before sliding to the front and wrapping around his hardened length. Douglas let out a shaky sigh in reply and reached out and grabbed Kaden's member, gently pulling him closer. He lightly licked the tip and few times before taking the whole thing in his mouth, pulling a gasp and a cough from the Smoker.

Obviously, Kaden was quite surprised at the sudden affection, but he wasn't complaining.

Kaden groaned and buried a hand in charcoal-colored hair. Douglas growled low in his throat, but continued to bob his head in a steady rhythm.

Kaden's breathing became irregular as he felt himself nearing the edge. Douglas seemed to take notice and removed his mouth. He snarled and growled until Kaden took his tongue away.

Douglas turned and crawled up the bed, sitting in the middle and facing away from the Smoker. He looked over his shoulder at Kaden, eyes half-lidded. Kaden took the hint and crawled into the middle with him, sitting with his chest pressed against the Hunter's back and his hands resting on slender hips. The smaller infected purred and leaned back against him, tilting his head up. Kaden leaned down and pressed their lips firmly together.

Douglas parted his lips and growled. Kaden couldn't help but smirk as he slid his tongue into the other male's moist cavern to explore and was pleased when he heard a low groan followed by two hands coming up to tangle in his hair and pull him down further.

The tongue protruding from his neck slithered out and quickly made its way lower, gently prodding at Douglas' hole before slipping inside a few inches. Douglas gasped and moved his hands to grip at Kaden's knees. Kaden broke the kiss and turned the Hunter's head so he could kiss and nip his neck, extending a tongue from his shoulder to wrap around his lover's neglected region. Douglas gasped and groaned in appreciation.

After several more thrusts, Kaden lifted the Hunter's slender hips and removed the tongue and used it instead to slowly guide himself into the tight heat. Douglas gave a sharp cry as he was penetrated by something larger, gripping the Smoker's knees tightly and growling low in his throat as it slid in deeper.

Kaden lightly rubbed Douglas' hips and kissed his neck, waiting patiently for him to adjust.

When Douglas sighed and leaned forward so that he was on his hands and knees, Kaden began lightly thrusting. He started out slow and gentle and steadily increased his rhythm, quickly learning what Douglas wanted based on the noises he made.

Douglas panted and whined, gripping the sheets under him tightly as the pleasure increased. The tongue wrapped around his member pumped in time with the thrusts and drew him closer and closer to completion.

Kaden's grip on the Hunter's hips tightened as he felt heat build up in his lower region. He stroked Douglas' faster in hopes that he would break first. He was quite pleased when the body underneath him tensed and a loud shriek filled the room as Douglas went over the edge.

Kaden groaned when the walls around him suddenly tightened. He gasped and coughed as he too went tumbling over the edge.

All was still for several seconds as they both came down from their shared high. Their pants sounded loud in the otherwise silent room.

Finally, Kaden gathered enough strength to pull out and lay down next to his lover. He smiled when Douglas laid down as well and curled up against him. He wrapped an arm around pale shoulders and pulled the smaller infected closer, lightly kissing his forehead. "I love you." He whispered against charcoal-colored hair.

Douglas sighed contently and lifted his head to place a kiss on Kaden's jaw; _'I love you too.'_

_

* * *

_

Review plz. :)_  
_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. This may be the last.

**Warning:** Zombie lovin'. I shouldn't need to say more.

Left 4 Dead belongs to Valve!

* * *

"Kay-den?" Douglas called as he slipped through an open window.

"In here, babe." Kaden called from another room. Douglas grinned and headed toward the voice.

Kaden was rummaging around in a bedroom. "What do-ing?" Douglas grunted with some effort. He was still learning this whole 'talking' thing Kaden had insisted on trying to teach him.

"Looking for anything useful." Kaden replied while pulling things out of a drawer next to the bed. He paused when something started buzzing, then dropped whatever he was holding and slammed with drawer with a yell of "Sick!" He quickly stood and turned to Douglas, "Time to go."

Douglas tilted his head, "Why? What?"

"Because. Let's go." Kaden coughed and walked out the door and into the hallway, Douglas following close behind.

They went into the den next. Douglas made himself a place on the couch while Kaden began going through drawers.

They had been traveling for several days now, breaking into random houses to look for supplies or to rest. Along the way, Kaden had been teaching him to speak and they'd made two new friends.

Douglas didn't bat an eye when he heard someone stumble into the house, crying. Cedric wandered into the living room and plopped down on the couch next to Douglas, face buried in his clawed hands, sobbing. The Hunter placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which didn't stop the crying.

"Where's Hector?" Kaden asked as he passed by the couch and went into the kitchen.

"I don't knoooooowww!" The male Witch howled.

As if on cue, the cackling Screamer haphazardly wandered into the den and stopped infront of the Witch. Cedric looked up and was slightly surprised when a small and rough-looking bouquet of flowers was thrust in his face.

"Flowers!" Hector proclaimed proudly, grinning from ear to ear like the madman he was. Cedric sniffled and took them from him, examining them with his full attention before giving the Screamer a small smile. Hector quickly sat down next to his friend and tossed an arm over his shoulders, pulling him close.

Not liking how crowded the couch had suddenly become, Douglas swiftly moved to the recliner.

Douglas had thought the two were an odd pair since he'd first met them. A Screamer and a Witch? How on Earth did that work?

Cedric was the only male Witch anyone knew of. His short blonde hair was darker than a normal Witch's and his white T-shirt and denim shorts were badly shredded.

Hector was the only Screamer they'd ever met, though he claimed he knew several others. Cedric had cut the sleeves of his straight jacket for him so that he could use his arms. His long black hair, crooked teeth and strange demeanor made Douglas nervous.

Cedric liked to sit in silent places, while Hector was always making noise or being crazy.

Yet, they made it work.

"Okay, let's get outta here." Kaden announced as he exited the kitchen and headed for the entrance. Douglas quickly followed, along with the others.

* * *

"Sugar!" Hector announced loudly as he sat down infront of Cedric, a box of sugar in one hand and a spoon in the other. It was a little known fact that Witches greatly enjoyed sugar* so the Screamer often went to find some for Cedric.

Cedric smiled slightly as Hector held out a spoonful of sugar for him to eat.

Kaden and Douglas watched from across the small fire they'd built for light. They were camped out on the outskirts of town, awaiting daylight before traveling further into the wasteland the area had become.

"So sweet you could puke, huh?" Kaden snickered, referring to the scene before them. Douglas chuckled in agreement. He watched as the Smoker coughed and laid down and quickly curled up with him.

Hector glanced around suspiciously as Cedric ate another spoonful. He looked back long enough to scoop up more and hold it out to his boyfriend before going back to scanning the black landscape.

Some would call him paranoid, but he was just careful. Very careful.

Had to protect himself.

Had to protect Cedric.

The healthy people would get them if he wasn't careful.

Had to watch. Had to make sure no one was watching them, trying to kill them.

A noise made him snap his head around in a different direction, body tense and ears sharpened to listen closely. Cedric lightly tapped his arm, "Hector?"

The Screamer turned, his attention now drawn to the Witch. "Hm?"

"Hector, there's no one out there." Cedric whispered, "No one's going to hurt us here."

"Hafta be careful." Hector said, voice wavering with his mania, "Can't let your guard down. That's how they getcha. That's how Jacob went. And Vaughn. Can't let them get close. Can't let them get you." His eyes were moving back and forth quickly, paranoia setting in.

Cedric whimpered and let out a soft sob, pulling Hector's attention back to him. The dark-haired man set the sugar and spoon aside and pulled the Witch into his lap. "I'm sorry." He whispered, aware of the fact that his extreme mania often upset the younger boy.

"It's alright." Cedric whimpered, burying his face in the Screamer's neck.

Hector shifted into a more comfortable position and allowed the blonde to fall asleep in his arms. He did not join him in sleep. Instead, he held him protectively and obsessively scanned the area the whole night.

* * *

It took two days to get to the next town. Kaden broke into the first house and began rummaging while Cedric sat on the couch and cried. Hector and Douglas searched for survivors and other special infected. Hector's paranoia and OCD wouldn't let him stay in a town he hadn't thoroughly searched and Douglas enjoyed the hunt.

Hours later, Hector followed Douglas as he sniffed out Kaden and Cedric. He found them in a simple and not badly damaged house near the middle of town. Hector immediately began comforting Cedric while Douglas looked for Kaden.

He found him sitting on the floor in a bedroom, deep in thought. He sat down beside him and nuzzled his shoulder. Kaden smiled and reached up to tug the Hunter's hood down and kiss him.

Douglas hummed in appreciation and crawled into Kaden's lap.

It wasn't long before the Smoker spaced out again. Douglas tilted his head, "What's wrong?"

Kaden shrugged and coughed. "I was just thinking."

Douglas frowned. Kaden 'just thinking' was always bad. "About?"

"Just... Is there anyone living left? If there are, will they be able to cure this? What if we can't be cured? If we stop existing, where will we go? Is there an afterlife? Are we allowed there? What if we don't 'die'? Will we just exist forever, or will we eventually rot away or something? How much longer do we have? Will we-" He was silenced when Douglas pressed their lips together.

The kiss seemed to last forever, but they eventually parted. Kaden grinned shyly, "Sorry. I know you hate it when I do that." Douglas smiled and pecked him on the lips again, "Secks?"

"Hell yeah!" The Smoker said excitedly before coughing several times. The Hunter chuckled and got out of his lap, getting onto the bed instead. Kaden stood and left the room as his lover undressed, going into the den to find their companions.

When he walked in, both were sitting on the couch, Cedric in Hector's lap and reading a book out loud. They looked up when they heard him.

"I can't read." Hector said, as if the scene required explanation, "So he's reading it for me."

"Cool. Douglas and I will be busy in the bedroom, so don't come running in there, okay?"

It was a little awkward telling other people what he and Douglas did in private, but they had learned the hard way that if Hector didn't know what a noise was, he was going to panic and figure it out his way, even if that meant breaking down a locked bedroom door.

Both nodded and went back to the book as Kaden headed back to his waiting lover.

Hector stayed calm and quiet as he listened to Cedric's soothing voice read. He'd always liked his voice. He'd always liked Cedric. Ever since he saw the small Witch crying outside of the Sugar Mill, he'd wanted to stay close to him, to protect him as best he could, even though he knew he couldn't exactly fight on his own, his only strength being his ability to summon the horde, and the Witch was much more dangerous. Still, that didn't stop him from constantly being on guard, watching for anything that might pose a threat.

"Cedric?" Hector interrupted suddenly. The Witch stopped mid-sentence and looked up at the Screamer, "Yes?"

"I love you."

Cedric smiled brightly, "I love you too."

* * *

I'm thinking I'll end it here, but what do you guys think? As far as back stories go, I'm making one for Hector and Cedric, which I'll post eventually.


End file.
